1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of security systems and methods therefore and, more particularly, is a system and a method for use in detecting, and therefore deterring, unauthorized extensions of objects, including part of a player, over portions of a gaming table.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gaming or gambling has been in existence for many years, and based upon the rapid expansion of casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere, it will continue to for many years to come. Because of the large sums of money at stake on a daily basis at a casino, security measures are extremely important. Overhead cameras are a common manner of watching the play at a given gaming table. Observation of players at a particular gaming table is also accomplished via the careful, but limited, eyes of table dealers and pit bosses. Despite security measures such as these, sophisticated thieves continue to successfully rob casino gaming tables.
A technique common amongst gaming thieves is to remove or insert one or more gambling chips depending upon the situation involved with a particular game. For example, a thief will commonly place a stack of gaming chips on the gaming table where his bet belongs, and if it becomes apparent to the thief that he has been dealt a xe2x80x9cpoor hand,xe2x80x9d he attempts to quickly and covertly knock one or more of his gaming chips off the stack of chips which he initially bet. Oftentimes, the thief will attempt to remove the highest value chip from his stack of chips. With such an approach, the thief is able to decrease his losses. Alternatively, when it becomes apparent to a thief that he has been dealt a xe2x80x9cgood hand,xe2x80x9d he will attempt to place one or more chips onto his stack of bet chips, thereby illegally increasing his winnings on that hand, assuming that he wins the hand.
As techniques such as these have been successfully used in Baccarat, Blackjack, and possibly other games, it would be advantageous to be able to detect the unauthorized presence of a player""s hand, other portions of his anatomy, or other objects over the portion of the gaming table where the player""s bet is placed.
Such is the primary aspect of the instant invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system for detecting the unauthorized extension of a player""s hand, other portions of his anatomy, or other objects over a portion of a gaming table where his bet is placed and a method therefore.
Another object of the present invention to provide a system for detecting, and thereby deterring the occurrence of such unauthorized extensions over a gaming table and a method therefore.
According to the present invention, a security system is disclosed f or use in gaming comprising, in combination, a gaming table, and a plurality of light-sensitive detectors arranged in a pattern on the gaming table. The system further includes a plurality of indicating lights equal in number to the plurality of light-sensitive detectors. Each light-sensitive detector is electrically coupled to its own corresponding indicating light. The interruption of light passing into any one of the plurality of light-sensitive detectors causes illumination of its own corresponding indicating light to cease during the interruption of light, and the illumination to return once the interruption of light terminates. Each detector of the plurality of light-sensitive detectors preferably comprises a Cadmium Cell detector. The pattern establishes a security barrier between each player at the gaming table and portions of the gaming table where players place bets. Moreover, the plurality of indicating lights are placed at a location remote from the gaming table.
An alternative embodiment of the security system further includes indicating light lock-in means coupled to the plurality of light-sensitive detectors and to the plurality of indicating lights for locking any indicating light from its normally un-illuminated condition into an illuminated condition whenever interruption of light occurs at the light sensitive detector corresponding to the particular indicating light. For the sake of clarity, note that in contrast to the previous embodiment of the system, this embodiment of the system provides that the indicating lights are normally off or un-illuminated, and on or illuminated whenever interruption of light occurs at the light sensitive detector corresponding to the particular indicating light. This second embodiment of the system further includes indicating light reset means for resetting all of the indicating lights from the illuminated condition to the un-illuminated condition (i.e., any indicating light that is illuminated is reset to the un-illuminated condition).
The indicating light lock-in means includes a plurality of relay coils equal in number to the plurality of light-sensitive detectors wherein each relay coil is electrically coupled between a first junction of its own corresponding light-sensitive detector and a first junction of its own corresponding indicating light, a plurality of pairs of contacts equal in number to the plurality of light-sensitive detectors wherein each pair of contacts corresponds to its own, separate relay coil and wherein each pair of contacts is electrically coupled between a second junction of its own corresponding light-sensitive detector and a second junction of its own corresponding indicating light, and wherein a first contact of each of the pair of contacts is normally open and a second contact of each of the pair of contacts is normally closed. When voltage at any relay coil rises above a drop out voltage, the first and second contacts corresponding to the relay coil close and open, respectively, and when voltage at the relay coil drops below the drop out voltage, the first and second contacts corresponding to the relay coil open and close, respectively. The indicating light reset means includes a reset push-button having one junction electrically coupled to a voltage supply.
A third embodiment of the security system for use in gaming comprises, in combination, a gaming table, and a plurality of fiber-optic cables each having a first end arranged in a pattern on the gaming table. In this embodiment of the system, a second end of each of the fiber-optic cables is placed at a location remote from the gaming table. Moreover, interruption of light passing into the first end of any one of the plurality of fiber-optic cables causes illumination at the corresponding second end of any one of the plurality of fiber-optic cables to cease during the interruption of light, and the illumination to return once the interruption of light terminates. The pattern establishes a security barrier between each player at the gaming table and portions of the gaming table where players place bets.
A forth embodiment of the instant invention discloses a method of detecting unauthorized extensions of objects over portions of a gaming table comprising the steps of providing a gaming table, and embedding a plurality of light-sensitive detectors arranged in a pattern on the gaming table. The plurality of light-sensitive detectors comprises one of a plurality of Cadmium Cell detectors and first ends of a plurality of fiber-optic cables. This method further comprises the steps of coupling a plurality of indicating lights to the plurality of Cadmium Cell detectors, one indicating light per detector, and placing the indicating lights at a location remote from the gaming table. Alternatively, this method further comprises the step of placing second ends of the plurality of fiber-optic cables at a location remote from the gaming table.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.